diff --git a/quest/m0/README.md b/quest/m0/README.md
index a62a2e17..834ed3a4 100644
--- a/quest/m0/README.md
+++ b/quest/m0/README.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ ownership-manifest design:
 
 ## Required
 
+- [Lifecycle EBUSY](/quest/m0/lifecycle-ebusy.md) - the Windows lifecycle check stops failing at random while removing its temp directory
 - [Agent lifecycle integration](/quest/m0/worktree-agents.md) - reclaim completed and suspended checkouts through their harness
 - [Agent workflow helpers](/quest/m0/helpers/README.md) - CLI commands for CI waits, PR status, claims, quest moves, and serialized merges
 
diff --git a/quest/m0/kix/README.md b/quest/m0/kix/README.md
index 2cba0716..ff6504cd 100644
--- a/quest/m0/kix/README.md
+++ b/quest/m0/kix/README.md
@@ -108,3 +108,4 @@ operator-paid-hosting decisions:
 - [Web planning](/quest/m0/kix/planning.md) - issue-to-quest interviews produce draft planning PRs
 - [Web execution](/quest/m0/kix/execution.md) - spawn and iterate through the UI, ending in contribution PRs
 - [Onboarding guide](/quest/m0/kix/guide.md) - a complete maintainer path, from runner setup through a reviewed PR
+- [Merged claims](/quest/m0/kix/merged-claims.md) - the board ignores branches whose pull request merged, as the CLI does
diff --git a/quest/m0/kix/merged-claims.md b/quest/m0/kix/merged-claims.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2ec1668c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quest/m0/kix/merged-claims.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# [XS] Ignore merged branches on the board
+
+## Goal
+
+The kix board and inbox agree with `quest unblocked --unclaimed` about which
+quests are claimed: a `quest/*` branch whose tip is the head of a merged pull
+request no longer counts as a claim, while a branch whose pull request closed
+unmerged still does.
+
+## Plan
+
+Decided 2026-10-22 (user) as a follow-up of
+[kixelated/quest#192](https://github.com/kixelated/quest/pull/192), which
+gave the CLI this rule:
+
+- `cloudflare/src/github/state.ts` maps every observed `quest/*` ref to a
+  claim (`associatedQuest`). Apply the same merged-head rule when reading
+  those refs, and keep the CLI and Worker on one definition of it rather
+  than a second copy.
+- Ranked last in the epic: moq-dev/moq, moq-dev/moq.pro, and kixelated/quest
+  all delete head branches on merge, so only projects without that setting
+  see stale claims today.
+- Test a merged-head branch, a closed-unmerged branch, and a merged branch
+  with commits pushed after the merge, with the seeded fake GitHub
+  (`cloudflare/dev/github.ts`).
+- Dropped (user): a CLI sweep that reports or deletes merged quest branches,
+  since every current repository deletes them on merge.
diff --git a/quest/m0/lifecycle-ebusy.md b/quest/m0/lifecycle-ebusy.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b905358e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quest/m0/lifecycle-ebusy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# [S] Stop the Windows lifecycle check failing with EBUSY
+
+## Goal
+
+The lifecycle check (`scripts/lifecycle-check.mjs`) never fails a Windows CI
+job with `EBUSY` while removing its temporary directory, because nothing still
+holds that directory when the check deletes it.
+
+## Plan
+
+Decided 2026-10-22 (user) as a follow-up of
+[kixelated/quest#192](https://github.com/kixelated/quest/pull/192):
+
+- The Windows arm64 Release job failed after its own checks passed, in the
+  final `rmSync(work, { recursive: true, force: true })`, on #192 and on the
+  `quest/m0/worktree` branch (run 39679528766). A rerun passed both times.
+- Find which process or handle still holds the directory (for example a
+  child process the check started, or a file it left open) and fix that
+  cause. No retries, sleeps, or ignored errors.
+- Reproduce it on a native Windows runner before fixing, and keep the fix
+  covered by the existing lifecycle jobs.